Match Report

Leverstock Green FC pulled off a magnificent result on Saturday as they defeated runaway league leaders Real Bedford 2-1 at the Lords Builders Merchant Stadium. The visitors were 22 points ahead of Leverstock at the start of play and had won all but three of their league fixtures, but they came up against a disciplined, hard-working Leverstock side that fully deserved their three points that took them back up to third place in the SSML Premier Division.

Right from the start Leverstock were chasing every ball and pressuring their opponents, allowing them little chance to play their football. Leverstock took the lead in the 13th minute from a corner. Dan Pett’s cross went right into the heart of the six yard box, where Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica connected with a powerful header that brought a great save out of visiting keeper Tyler McGregor. However, Luke Beckwith got his head to the rebound and forced the ball over the line for a 1-0 Leverstock lead.

Three minutes later Bedford had a go with a long-range effort which was well saved by Josh Bowler. However, much of the play was at the other end, where Leverstock’s constant pressure forced an error out of McGregor, who kicked the ball straight to Stefanoaica in the 21st minute, but got away with it as Stefanoaica shot over the bar. Rawn Seale got on the end of another Pett corner in the 25th minute, but his header went wide. Three minutes later Seale pressured a defender into giving the ball away on the edge of his own penalty area. Seale laid the ball off to Beckwith, whose cross was met by Stefanoaica sliding in to put Leverstock Green FC into a 2-0 lead.

The last ten minutes of the half saw a strong recovery from the visitors, as they finally started to put a threat on the Leverstock goal. In the 40th minute Ben Stevens got past a couple of challenges in the box before shooting home to put his side back into the game at 2-1. Over the remainder of the half Bowler had to save a close-range header, and Joey Evans fired a shot inches over the bar as Leverstock were desperately in need of the half time whistle.

The way that Bedford ended the half suggested that it would be a long second half for Leverstock Green FC, but after the break the Green side had recovered their composure and picked where they had left off before Bedford’s revival. Leverstock were once again chasing down their opponents and denying them any space. The visitors were unable to create any meaningful chances until the final minutes as the Leverstock defence held their nerve.

Leverstock could have added a third goal in the 78th minute, but McGregor pulled off a great save to keep out a fierce shot from Ethan Mooney, and denied Ademide Baruwa from the rebound. In the 83rd minute it was the turn of Bowler to pull off two equally impressive saves, firstly turning a header from a free kick round the post, and then tipping a header over the bar from the resulting corner. Seven additional minutes were played at the end, and in the fourth of those minutes an unlucky deflection offered a great chance to a Bedford forward, but Rio Beach came in with a superb game-winning block.

The final whistle eventually came and Leverstock Green FC celebrated a notable win that keeps them very much in the promotion play-off picture.

Leverstock Green (2) 2 (Beckwith 13, Stefanoaica 28)
1. Josh Bowler, 2. Mikey Havill-Tierney, 3. Rio Beach, 4. Dan Weeks, 5. Paul Marks, 6. Ryan Carruthers (12. Ademide Baruwa 56 mins), 7. Luke Beckwith (16. Ethan Mooney 58 mins), 8. Dan Pett, 9. Rawn Seale, 10. Nat Connolly (15. Daniel Green 66 mins), 11. Radu-Mihai Stefanoaica (14. Lewis Collins 70 mins). Sub not used: 17. Brad Robinson.
Real Bedford (1) 1 (Stevens 40)
1. Tyler McGregor, 2. Tom Wood, 3. Luke Knight, 4. Lee Watkins, 5. Drew Richardson, 6. Charlie Smith, 7. Josh Setchell (15. Alie Bangura 63 mins), 8. Archie Jones (16. Eddie Corbit 70 mins), 9. Joey Evans, 10. Ben Stevens, 11. Mo Ahmed. Subs not used: 12. Eniola Agemoh-Davies, 14. Tom Hitchcock, 17. Lewis Burgess.